UPF_19

PART III

Making the Flowers

2a. 2b.

3b.
3c.

Foxglove W OitOcDhLGAaNrDdePnR
O J E C T S

SEE PAGE 16 SEE PAGE XX

There’s an empty lot near my home that puts on a spectacular SUPPLIES
foxglove display every year. One year, I nabbed one of the stalks Scissors
and took it apart, studying the petal shapes, floret placement, and Ivory extra-heavy crepe
stem structure. Design Master Colortool spray
paint in Basil (676)
1. Prepping the crepe for the greenery Vanilla extra-fine crepe
a. Cut a 10 in/25 cm square from the Ivory crepe and, following the AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue
instructions on page 99, spray the square with the Basil paint until White or Off-White heavy crepe
you have an even, opaque coat. This is the paper youÕll use for the Eye protection
calyx, bracts, and stem strips. When you cut the calyx pieces and Wire snips
bracts, youÕll stretch sections of the painted paper so theyÕre com- 22-gauge cloth-covered stem wire
pletely uncrinkled, and then cut the pieces. Using wire snips and eye Tsukineko Memento Dual Tip
protection, cut thirteen 3 in/7.5 cm lengths of stem wire. Marker in Sweet Plum (PM-506)
Templates (page 222)
2. Making the buds
a. Cut a template A piece from the Vanilla crepe. Dot glue on the
edge of one long side of the piece and attach it to the opposite
edge, forming the piece into a tube. To help this tube keep its shape,
weÕre going to stuff it with a rolled strip of heavy crepe. From the
White heavy crepe, cut a 1 by 4½ in/2.5 by 11 cm strip (the bud tem-
plate strips will be 1¼ in/3 cm wide). Loosely roll this strip until itÕs
thick enough to fit snugly in the tube, and trim off any extra. Insert
the roll into the tube until there is only ½ in/12 mm of tube extending
beyond the white heavy crepe roll.

b. Dot glue all around the inside of this ½ in/12 mm section at the
front of the tube, and twist. When the glue is dry, snip the twisted
section, leaving a small amount of glued twist to keep the tube closed.
Dot glue inside the opposite end of the tube, right up to the rolled
crepe inside. Insert a wire into the middle of the roll of crepe (for the
first three buds, this will be an 18 in/46 cm wire; for the remaining
bud, this will be a 3 in/7.5 cm wire). Gather the tube around the wire.
Cut five calyx pieces, using template C and the sprayed crepe, and dis-
tribute them evenly behind the bud. Cut stem strips from the sprayed
crepe and use the instructions on page 92 for wrapping stems. Repeat
to make three template B buds. For the A bud, wrap from behind the
calyx to 1 in/2.5 cm down the wire. Wrap the template B buds behind
the calyx and stop ¾ in/2 cm down the wire. Repeat to make two
more template B buds.

3. Making the flowers
a. You will use pairs of templates to make florets in three sizes: three
small (templates E and F), three medium (templates G and H), and at
least three large (templates I and J). The first template listed in each
pair will be the top of the Òbell,Ó and the second will be the bottom.
Cut the pieces from the Vanilla crepe, following the instructions

103 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

WOODLAND PROJECTS on page 87 for cutting petals on a fold. Follow the place where the stem wrap stops on the main stem
speckling instructions on page 98 to speckle three meets the place where the stem wrap stops on the
F template pieces using the plum marker. Gently B bud. Wrap these together for ¾ in/2 cm. Add a
stretch the scalloped edges of both the E and F bract directly beneath the point where the bud stem
pieces, and following the instructions on page 88, meets up with the main stem. You will add bracts in
lightly scissor curl the edges back. The F piece this way for all the buds and bells on the stem.
should be curled away from the speckled side.
d. Next, add a small bell on the right side of the
b. Lay an E piece on the table. Using the dotted lines stem, lining up the point where the wrapping ends
on the templates as a guide, dot glue from one of on the floret stem and the main stem. Wrap these
the dotted lines on the E piece out to the side of the together for ¾ in/2 cm. Repeat, adding a small bell
bell, stopping near the top of the template where the on the left and then in the middle. Next, add three
dotted line stops. Lay one of the speckled F pieces medium bells, applied in the same way and in the
onto the glue, speckle-side up, overlapping so the same sequence. Then add three large bells in the
edge of the F piece lines up with the dotted line on same way and in the same sequence.
the E piece (the speckled piece will be on top). Fold
the speckled piece in half vertically. Dot the opposite e. You can continue adding more of the largest
side of the E piece with glue in the same way you did florets if you like. Wherever you plan to stop,
the first side. Fold the E piece in half and press the remember that the last three florets you attach
glued section onto the other side of the F piece. should be built on 18 in/46 cm wire. Add these in
the same way you added all the others. Wrap to
c. Stick your finger into the bell up to the glue line the bottom of the stem.
and twist. Remove your finger, untwist the end, and
insert a 3 in/7.5 cm wire so it falls just below the glue 5. Finishing the foxglove
line. Stick your finger back inside the bell and gather a. Gently bend all the floret wires to a 30-degree
the paper below the glue line around the wire. angle. The two template B buds just under the top
bud should be at more of a 45-degree angle, while
d. Cut five calyx pieces using template C and dis- the A bud should be closer to 90 degrees. Wearing
tribute evenly around the foxglove bell. Wrap from eye protection and using the wire snips, trim the
behind the calyx to ¾ in/2 cm down the wire. foxglove stem to your preferred length.

e. Repeat steps 3a through 3d to make two more b. Stick your fingers into any collapsed bells to
small bells, three medium bells, and three large bells. restore their shape.

4. Building the stem
a. The first three buds have been built around a full
18 in/46 cm long stem of the wire. The template
A bud goes on top. Place two of the template B
buds 1 in/2.5 cm below on either side of the A bud,
matching up the point on the three wires where the
stem wrapping stops. Wrap the three wires together
for ¾ in/2 cm.

b. Cut twelve bract pieces from the sprayed green
crepe using template D. Glue one on either side of
the two B buds so that they hit the stem just below
the point where the budÕs stem meets the main
stem. For the bud on the left, place the bract on the
left side of the stem. For the bud on the right side,
place the bract on the right.

c. Place the next B bud below the previous B buds,
lining it up with the A bud in the middle of the
stem. Attach this B bud to the stem so that the

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3d. 4a.

4d.

105 PART I THE FLORA

WOODLAND PROJECTS Jack-in-the-Pulpit

SUPPLIES SEE PAGE 19

18-gauge cloth-covered stem wire Jacks come with a wide variety of markings: some are pale green
Black floral tape with white stripes, some are dark red from the hood to the body
Scissors and then fade to green, and some are black with very pale green
stripes. For this one, you’ll use very dark red crepe covered in lines
AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue from a green-colored pencil and reverse the paper for color varia-
Sangria or Aubergine doublette crepe tion between flowers.

Prismacolor colored pencil in Apple 1. Making the spadix
Green (3343), well sharpened a. Following the instructions on page 92, wrap the wire with the floral
¼ in/6 mm dowel tape, stretching as you wrap to activate the adhesive and to create
Cypress extra-fine crepe a smooth surface. Wrap from the tip of the wire to 3 in/7.5 cm down
Template (page 222) the wire and back up again. Repeat until the spadix is just under
¼ in/6 mm thick. Cut the tape at the bottom of the spadix and glue
the end into place. Mold the tip of the spadix to make it smooth
and tapered.

2. Making the spathe
a. Following the instructions on page 87 for cutting a template on a
fold, cut one template A piece from the doublette. Turn the A piece
so the darker side is showing. Start at the edge of the A piece, and
use the colored pencil to draw lines up and down the template. To
make a solid, saturated line, I scribble a small section of the line
multiple times and then move up to the next section, making sure
to keep my pencil sharp.

b. When you get to the section under the hood, skip it, and con-
tinue to draw lines toward the opposite side of the A piece. Draw
the lines on the hood of the A piece. Extend each of the lines at
the bottom of the hood all the way down the body and fill in any
sections that are sparse so the parallel lines look uniform across
the body part of the A piece.

c. Flip the piece over to the lighter side and repeat for the markings
on the hood that extend down the body, but extend them by only
1 in/2.5 cm for each line. Add short parallel lines along the back of
what will be the tube. (YouÕre trying to draw lines on only the parts
inside the tube that can be seen when the plant is glued together.)

d. Dot glue along the edge of one of the sides of the A piece, and
gently curl the sides to the middle so they overlap and are glued shut.

e. Following the instructions on page 88 for scissor curling, gently
curl the top half of the hood toward the light side. Use the dowel to
curl the ÒneckÓ section of the hood forward. If additional curling is
necessary to pitch the hood forward over the tube, scissor curl the
neck area.

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1a. 2a., 2b., 2c.

2d., 2e. 3a.

107 PART I THE FLORA



3. Assembling the jack W OitOcDhLGAaNrDdePnR
O J E C T S
a. Thread the spadix down through the middle of
the jack, so the tip of the spadix sticks out almost SEE PAGE XX
all the way to the roof of the spathe. Using stem
strips cut from the Cypress crepe, wrap the bottom
¼ in/6 mm of the spathe tube to the wire, then wrap
to the bottom of the stem. Readjust any parts of the
tube that may have been disarranged during the
wrapping.

b. If youÕre making multiple jacks, try alternating
which side of the paper faces outward.

109 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

1a. 1c.

2a.
1d.

Log with Moss & Lichen W OitOcDhLGAaNrDdePnR
O J E C T S

SEE PAGE 20 SEE PAGE XX

I left my log on the floor by my work area for some silly reason, SUPPLIES
and, naturally, one of my children stepped on it. But I actually Latte heavy crepe
think it improved the log, making it seem looser and more decayed Scissors
inside. I don’t recommend standing on your log, but you might try Metallic Copper extra-fine crepe
pressing it down on a table so it isn’t so rounded and perky. AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue
Soft brush
Note: For the extra-fine crepe, any brown will do; I just like the PanPastel in Titanium White
way the nonmetallic side of the metallic copper crepe looks with (100.5)
the latte heavy crepe. Foam paintbrush
Ivory acrylic paint
1. Making the log Mars Black heavy crepe
a. Unroll the Latte crepe and cut off a 5 ft/1.5 m length. Cut a steeply Bright Moss heavy crepe
angled, jagged fringed edge on both long ends of the crepe (itÕs not Different shades of brown and
important to follow a specific pattern). Stretch out the jagged edges beige paper
of the crepe on both ends. Following the instructions on page 90 Templates (page 222)
for crinkling paper, crinkle the stretched-out portions on both ends,
twisting and untwisting individual small sections.

b. Loosely roll up the log. If itÕs too thick for your liking, unroll some
of the latte crepe and cut it off. If it feels too skinny, prep additional
lengths and just keep wrapping them around the log. Firmly twist
together all the triangular parts on each end into one big bundle and
then untwist them.

c. To make the bark, cut a length of the Copper crepe long enough
to wrap all the way around the log with a 1 in/2.5 cm overlap. Rip an
irregular edge across the grain on both ends of the Copper crepe.
With the nonmetallic side facing out, wrap this piece around the
main roll of the log and glue it in place, cutting away any excess bark.

d. Use the soft brush to lightly dust the log with White pastel, brush-
ing in the direction of the grain.

2. Making the lichen
a. With the foam paintbrush, apply two coats of the Ivory paint to a
6 in/15 cm square of the Black crepe. The paint will pick up some of
the pigment in the crepe and become more beige. If the crepe is still
showing through, though, add another coat of paint.

b. Cut the painted paper into 1 in/2.5 cm by 6 in/15 cm strips across
the grain. Use template A to cut a scalloped edge along one of the
long ends of each strip. When youÕve cut the edge of one section of
the strip, you can lift the template and place it on the next section.
Just keep a continuous strip as you lift and move the template. Gently
stretch the edges and gently scissor curl them (see page 88) so the
edges point down slightly.

111 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

WOODLAND PROJECTS c. Flip one of the strips over so the black side
is facing up. Dot glue along the straight edge.
Where youÕve dotted the glue, gather the paper 2b.
by pushing together the little crinkles and hold-
ing them for a few seconds. This will make the
paper start to curl. Form the strip into a small
circle with the gathered paper at the center,
pinching additional crinkles if necessary. Snip
off any excess strip.

d. The remainder of the strip will be tucked under
the lichen center. Dot the painted side of the
strip with glue just along the straight edge. Glue
it around the edge of the lichen center. When
youÕve made it about 70 percent of the way
around, snip the strip. Repeat, adding additional
layers to the lichen until itÕs the size you prefer.
You can make one huge patch of lichen or make
a few clusters with their own centers and place
them together as a little colony.

3. Making the moss
a. From the Bright Moss crepe, cut a strip across
the grain 9 in/23 cm long and ¾ in/2 cm wide. Use
template B to cut a scalloped edge on the strip.
Once the whole strip is scalloped, cut a fringe
across all the scallops. The trick is to keep each
fringe cut ¼ in/6 mm deep from the point on the
scallop youÕre cutting, rather than having each
fringe a different height across the scallop. Twist
the little fringes and then scissor curl them so they
curve downward slightly.

b. Assemble the moss in the same way as the
lichen. Once the moss edge is ready, gather the
crinkles, create the center, and add additional
layers, all in the same way.

4. For the leaves
a. From the brown and beige papers, cut 20 to
50 leaves, depending on how big a Òforest floor
you want for the log. Fold small rectangles of paper
in half and freehand cut simple half-leaf shapes.
Crumple and uncrumple them so they appear more
natural. Arrange them beneath the log.

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 2c.

112

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2d. 3a.

3b.

113 PART I THE FLORA

WOODLAND PROJECTS Rosy Bonnet &
Amethyst Deceiver
SUPPLIES
S E E PAG E 2 3 A N D 7 7 , R E S P E C T I V E LY
Scissors
Ivory extra-heavy crepe It was the gills that first drew me to these mushroom. I had noticed
(for the amethyst deceiver, that the underside of honeycomb balls—party decorations made
of tissue paper glued at intervals to create a honeycomb pattern—
use Gold Heavy Crepe resembled the papery row of mushroom gills visible in flat-capped
by Lia Griffin) mushrooms. I found a miniature version of this paper and added
crepe paper for the cap and paper straws to support the stems. I
AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue had to take some liberties with the design, because the smallest
Pad of Ivory honeycomb paper (for honeycomb paper I could find was still too large to re-create a
rosy bonnet cap at its actual size of up to 2½ in/6.4 cm. For the
the amethyst deceiver, use Lilac) even smaller amethyst deceiver, I had to scale up my paper mush-
Foam brush rooms by 50 percent. But I have no qualms about my oversize
mushrooms—I say, the more bonnet, the better! The rosy bonnet
Cosmetic wedge sponges is pictured here; to make amethyst deceiver mushrooms, simply
Paper straw substitute different colors for the honeycomb paper pad and extra-
heavy crepe (see the supplies list).
PanPastel in Permanent Red Tint
(340.8) (for the rosy bonnet only) 1. Using the templates
a. The templates come in several sizes, grouped in sets of two. Each
Stem wire or toothpicks set has a cap template and a gills template. These templates are
Templates (pages 223Ð25) sized to work together in the same mushroom, so make sure not to
mix cap and gill templates across sets.
OPTIONAL BASE
2. Making the cap
Cache pot a. With template A2, cut a rectangle from the crepe, with the long
Floral foam side running across the grain. Fold the rectangle lengthwise along
Freeze-dried moss the dotted line on the template. The side of the rectangle where you
can see the area thatÕs been folded over will be the bottom of the
cap. The opposite side will be the top. (For the amethyst deciever,
fold your rectangle so that the metallic side of the crepe is inside of
the fold.)

b. Stretch the whole length of this fold almost all the way out, but
donÕt stretch more than ½ in/12 mm down from the fold. To close
this circle, open up the fold on one end of the circle and apply glue
along the edge. Tuck the opposite side inside this opened fold,
overlapping the two sides by about ¼ in/6 mm. Refold the glued
edge, and press the seam with your fingers to set the glue.

c. Cut a dime-size circle from the crepe.

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2b., 2d. SEE PAGE XX

3a., 3b.

3e.

115 PART I THE FLORA

4d., 4b., 4c. 4d.

5a.

d. With the bottom side of the cap facing up, dot the 4. Building the stem W OitOcDhLGAaNrDdePnR
O J E C T S
inner edge opposite the fold generously with glue. a. Use template F to cut a rectangle from the crepe.
Gently gather the crepe paper from the edge of the Fold the rectangle along the dotted line shown on
cap toward the center. Use the dime-size circle to the template. Stretch this fold as you stretched the
push the center of the cap flat. fold to make the cap. Open the rectangle back up.
Dot glue along one short edge of the stem rectangle,
e. Turn the cap top-side up. While the paper is still and place the paper straw on top of this line of glue.
wet with glue, adjust the center of the cap. You can
use your fingernails to pinch even pleats all the way b. Roll the rectangle around the straw tightly but
around. Finally, dot glue in the little opening in the without stretching the paper, making sure to align
center of the cap, and pinch the hole closed. the ridge on tShEe EstePmAGsoEitXfoXrms a complete ring.
(You can exaggerate this ring by grasping the stem
f. For the amethyst deceiver, press the edges of the on either side of the ring and then pushing your
cap downward to make it convex and rounded on hands together.)
top. Hold the edges down for thirty seconds to help
it keep its shape. c. Dot glue around the upper edge of the stem, then
insert it into the space at the center of the honey-
3. Making the gills comb ring. Hold the stem in place for a minute to
a. It takes two identical pieces of honeycomb paper allow the glue to set.
to make a full ring of gills for the mushroom. Place
template A1 on the honeycomb paper so the arrow d. For a rosy effect, use a wedge sponge to swipe the
on the template runs parallel with the little indenta- pink pastel from the middle of the cap outward, lifting
tions that run up and down the honeycomb paper. before you reach the edge to create a gradient effect.
Cut one template A1 section. To cut the second half
of the gills, place template A1 on the honeycomb 5. Styling
paper directly below the first template A1 you cut. a. To create a cluster of mushrooms, use the
This will ensure that the honeycomb pattern falls the different template sets included.
same way on both halves of the gills, so they look
even when you open them up. b. The paper straw at the center of the mushroom
offers a lot of flexibility in styling. You can add mush-
b. Dot one of the two gill halves with glue, and then rooms to a bouquet by inserting a piece of stem wire
stack the other half on top. Allow to dry for a minute up the straw, giving it greater length. You can also
or so. Dot the top of this stack with glue, gently fill a cache pot with floral foam topped with freeze-
spread open the stack, and glue the bottom side of dried moss; just stick toothpicks into the foam and
the stack to the top. Pinch along the edge to close. slip the straws over them.
Let dry completely.

c. Open up the little three-dimensional honeycomb
shape by gently pulling the outer edges away from
one another.

d. Using a foam brush or a cosmetic sponge, brush
glue over the entire bottom of the cap all the way
out to the edge.

e. Lay the gills on the cap, stretching the honeycomb
paper so the ends of the gills lie just inside the edge
of the cap. As you stretch the paper, the hole in the
center of the ring of honeycomb gills will open up,
creating a port for the stem. YouÕll have a few minutes
before the glue dries to adjust the honeycomb paper,
so make sure the gills are evenly distributed along the
cap edge. Working one section at a time, gently press
the gills into the cap edge all the way around.

117 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

3a. 4a.

4b.
4a.

Bleeding Mycena SUPPLIES W OitOcDhLGAaNrDdePnR
O J E C T S

SEE PAGE 24 Scissors
Doublette medium-weight
Though the individual mushrooms might seem unassuming as you ScEreEpPeAfoGrEthXeXcaps (IÕve used
make the first few, they come to life as the colony grows. When Honeysuckle/Coral)
I’m assembling a cluster of mushrooms, I try to capture the quirky Copic alcohol ink marker in Warm
cohesiveness of live mycena colonies. So don’t worry about the Gray (W1)
mushrooms being straight and equidistant. Let them clump here AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue
and there, and bend some of their little stems at odd angles. Small paintbrush or makeup brush
PanPastel in Permanent Red Tint
1. Making the caps (340.8)
a. Because these funnel-shaped caps are built from paper that crin- Eye protection
kles in just one direction, the caps will pull themselves out of form, Wire snips
creating strange little oblong shapes. Feel free to trim around the 18-gauge cloth-covered stem wire
cap if it seems too lopsided, but in general, I think itÕs best to let Aubergine extra-fine crepe, to
them be a little bit quirky—it adds to the overall effect. cover the stems
Templates (page 225)
2. Cutting the caps
a. IÕve included several sizes of the cap template to give the mush- OPTIONAL BASE
room cluster variety. Choose one and use it to cut a cap from the dou-
blette crepe. The arrow should be parallel with the grain of the crepe. 2¾ in/7 cm polystyrene half ball
for base
3. Coloring the cap Freeze-dried moss, a variety
a. The challenge in creating these mushrooms is that their color of light brown paper for dead
is a very subtle, brownish pink, rather than the bright, clear pinks leaves, or Bright Moss heavy crepe
usually available in doublette crepe. Additionally, the capÕs color to cover base
fades toward the edges. Color the cap as desired. IÕve used a beige Olive green thread
gray Copic marker to color my whole cap, subduing the pink in the
Honeysuckle/Coral doublette. OPTIONAL “BLOOD”

4. Building the cap Red glue stick
a. With the colored side facing up, dot glue on the left side of the Hot glue gun
little wedge cut out of the bottom of the circle. Close the wedge by Wax paper
curving the cap into a funnel shape and pressing the right side of
the wedge over the glued section on the left side. Hold this seam
together for three seconds. Then, while the glue is still wet, round
the cap by placing your finger into the tip of the funnel and gently
pressing it into your hand or another finger. For the smaller caps,
insert the small brush instead of your finger. If needed, trim the cap
to make it a little bit more even.

b. For lighter edges, use the small brush to apply the pastel in short,
vertical strokes, all the way around the cap, then blend the edge
where the pastel stops.

c. For a slightly ruffled edge, gently stretch around the edge of the
cap. You wonÕt be able to stretch all the way around because of
the way the grain falls on the cap, but even a little bit of frilling adds
interest and personality.

119 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

WOODLAND PROJECTS d. To create a cluster of mushrooms, make several
caps using a mix of the cap templates included.

5. Making the stems
a. Using eye protection and wire snips, cut a stem for
each cap. For a single mushroom, 2 in/5 cm is a nice
stem length. For a mushroom cluster, youÕll want sev-
eral lengths of cloth-covered stem wire, ranging from
2 to 3½ in/5 to 9 cm.

b. Using the instructions on page 92, cut several stem
strips, and wrap the stems in Aubergine crepe.

c. Dot the tip of the stem with glue and gently press
it into the underside of the mushroom cap. Repeat for
each additional cap until every mushroom has a stem.

d. The part of the mushroom cap with the seam is the
rear of the cap for display purposes; the seams should
all face the same direction. Once the glue is dry, gently
bend the stems, allowing them to lean away from the
center of the wire cluster. For mushrooms that are
growing out of the side of something, bend all the
wires up about 45 degrees from the wrapped bottoms
of the wires.

6. Styling
a. To add moss, hold clumps of freeze-dried moss
against the foam shape, and secure it by wrapping
it with the olive thread. Repeat until the entire foam
shape is covered. Clip the thread, leaving 5 in/12.5 cm
of thread at the end, and tie this end tightly to the
other end of the thread to form a knot. Clip excess
thread. Push the wrapped bottom 1 in/2.5 cm of the
stem wires into the middle of the half ball. You can
cover this half ball with freeze-dried moss, Òdead
leaves,Ó or Òmoss.Ó

b. Add the mushrooms, pushing the bottom 1 in/2.5 cm
of the stem wires into the foam.

c. To add ÒbloodÓ to the stem of a mushroom, load
the red glue stick into the glue gun and dot a few
drops on the bottom of the stem. For full-on oozing,
lay the mushroom on wax paper, and apply drops
from the bottom of the stem and down onto the wax
paper. When the glue cools, peel off the wax paper.

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 120

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5c.

6a.

121 PART I THE FLORA

WOODLAND PROJECTS Calypso Orchid

SUPPLIES SEE PAGE 27

Tsukineko Memento Dew Drop dye Calypso orchids trick insects into pollinating multiple flowers,
ink pad in Rhubarb Stalk despite offering them no nectar, with little variations that thwart
White doublette crepe insect attempts to identify and avoid the deceptive flower. So
Scissors don’t stress about creating an exact copy for this project—variation
1 standard-size marble makes them more realistic.

Copic marker in Aubergine (V99) 1. Making the labellum
Any yellow water-based marker a. Use the ink pad to paint a 2-in-/5-cm-thick stripe across the grain
or highlighter of the White doublette. This stripe has to be just wide enough to
Eye protection accommodate one template A piece, but you can make it wider if
Wire snips you plan to make more orchids. Lift at the bottom of every stroke to
create a soft edge. The ink pad applies color to the raised ridges in
18-gauge cloth-covered stem wire the crepe paper, which will mimic the striping on the orchidÕs purse.
AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue Position template A on the stripe so the bottom half of the template
has color but the top doesnÕt. Following the instructions on page
Design Master Colortool spray 87, cut one template A labellum petal on the fold for each orchid
paint in Lavender (708) youÕd like to make.
Linen extra-fine crepe
¼ in/6 mm dowel b. Place the marble in the middle of the back half of the labellum
Juniper extra-fine crepe and stretch both sides around the marble to create a little pouch.
Deep Olive/Olive Green Using the instructions on page 88, scissor curl the rounded top edge
doublette crepe of the labellum.
Templates (page 226)
c. Using the Copic marker, dot the rounded area around the top of
OPTIONAL BASE the labellum with little speckles, following the speckling directions
on page 98. Use the yellow marker to very gently apply a dot to the
Pot area just in front of the purse and behind the speckles. The yellow
Floral foam area should be about ⅛ in/3 mm wide.
Freeze-dried moss
d. Using eye protection and wire snips, cut a 9 in/23 cm length of
stem wire. Cut a 2 in/5 cm stem strip of the White doublette and
wrap the tip of the wire. Dot the area below the glue line of the
labellum with glue and wrap it around the wrapped tip so the tip of
the wire stem hits about where the glue line on the template falls.

2. Making the other petals
a. Using the directions on page 99, spray stripes of the Lavender
paint onto the Linen extra-fine crepe. Space the stripes so theyÕre
longer than the D template. Cut two template C petals on the fold,
positioning the template on the strip so the part of the strip that has
a lighter coat of paint makes up the bottom half or third of the petal.
Repeat to cut three template D sepals and one hood petal from
template B.

b. Stretch the B piece, the hood, into a big, gentle cup (see
page 88). (Make sure youÕre stretching only the area above the

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 122

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1b.

1a.
1c.

2d.

2b. PART I THE FLORA

123

3c.
3b.

glue line indicated on the template.) Dot the area W OitOcDhLGAaNrDdePnR
O J E C T S
under the glue line with glue and attach it to the
stem wire, opposite the labellum. Bend the wire SEE PAGE XX
below the petals to form a 90-degree angle.

c. Give each of the C and D petals some personality
by stretching the edges a little bit, lightly scissor
curling, or gently twisting the petals. The effect
should be subtle.

d. Attach the C petals on either side of the hood.
Attach one of the D sepals in the space between the
two C petals, one to the right of the C petal on the
right side of the flower, and one to the left of the C
petal on the left side.

3. Finishing the flower
a. With the ¼ in/6 mm dowel, very gently curl back
the petals so they stand up over the labellum.

b. Using the instructions on page 92, cut stem strips
from Juniper extra-fine crepe and wrap the first
3 in/7.5 cm of the stem. Cut a template E spathe on
the fold from the darker part of the Lavender-sprayed
strip. Dot glue at the bottom of the spathe, and glue
it around the stem ½ in/12 mm from the back of the
flower, so it points upward. Continue to wrap the
stem with stem strips, wrapping over the bottom
¼ in/6 mm of the spathe. Wrap to the bottom of
the wire.

c. Using template F, cut one leaf on the fold from the
Olive Green doublette. Fold the leaf in half vertically
to create a crease, then open it up, and very gently
scissor curl all the way around the leaf. Dot it with
glue below the glue line, and attach it to the stem
1½ in/4 cm from the bottom end of the stem.

d. If youÕd like to display the orchid in a pot, put a
piece of floral foam in the pot so itÕs firmly lodged
in place, cover the top with freeze-dried moss, and
stick the bottom of the wire into the foam.

125 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

1a. 2c.
1b., 1c.

2a.
3a., 3b., 3c.

Echeveria SUPPLIES DWEiStEcRh TGPaRrOdeJnE
C T S

SEE PAGE 31 DecoArt Americana Wisteria
SaEcEryPlicAGcrEafXt Xpaint
This was the first project I started building for this book. Exuber- Paintbrush
ant and terrified, I spent a week working out color combinations Scissors
for a fabulous multicolored, multi-succulent display. Moving past Bazzill Purple Palisades cardstock
the conviction that it must be beautiful, perfect, and abundant, (300907)
and coming to grips with the fact that this was a finite project Bazzill Turquoise Mist cardstock
with deadlines to keep in mind, was an important step for me and (301089)
helped me keep my ambitions in check as I tackled additional Darice Robin cardstock
projects. But I still have wistful feelings about those olive green, (GX-CF-30R)
pink, purple, and turquoise succulents in my mind’s eye. I hope Bazzill Navajo cardstock (301077)
this project will inspire you to make your own many-colored Darice Pearlescent Turquoise
succulent garden! cardstock (GX-GEM310)
Canson Mi-tientes in Light Green
1. Preparing the center leaves Embossing tools, ¼ in/6 mm and
a. Follow the instructions on page 96 to add a wash of acrylic paint, ⅟₁₆ in/2 mm
using a solution of 1 part craft paint with 2 parts water. Because the PanPastel in Magenta (80740)
consistency of acrylic paint can differ from brand to brand, I recom- Cosmetic wedge sponge
mend doing a patch test to make sure you like the opacity. Paint one Foam sheet, ⅛ in/3 mm thick
sheet each of all six colors of cardstock, making sure to apply the AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue
paint on the smoothest side of the cardstock. The paper will buckle Colortool spray paint in Basil (676)
and curl after youÕve painted it, but thatÕs nothing to worry about. Ivory extra-heavy crepe
Gold/Orange doublette crepe
b. When cutting leaves, make sure any brush lines on the cardstock Eye protection
run up and down the template, rather than side to side. For the Wire snips
center, use templates A, B, and C to cut one of each template from 18-gauge cloth-covered stem wire
the Purple Palisades cardstock. For row 2, cut five template D leaves Packing tape
from the Purple Palisades cardstock. YouÕll borrow one of these Templates (page 226)
template D leaves to finish the center. For row 3, cut five template E
leaves from the Turquoise Mist cardstock. For row 4, cut six template
F leaves from the Robin cardstock. For row 5, cut seven template F
leaves from the Navajo cardstock. For row 6, cut eight template G
leaves from the Pearlescent Turquoise cardstock. For row 7, cut eight
template H leaves from the Light Green cardstock.

c. Emboss all forty-two leaves, placing the cardstock on the foam
sheet and following the instructions on page 96 for embossing
cardstock leaf edges and points. Next, use the PanPastel and wedge
sponge to color the tips of each leaf as shown. Now, further shape
the first three leaves. Note the slit line down the middle of the bot-
tom part of templates A, B, and C. Cut along this slit line on the A
leaf. Dot the flap on the right side of the slit with glue. Move the left
flap sideways to overlap the right, about where the line on the tem-
plate radiates to the lower right. Hold the overlapped flaps in place
for a few seconds to let the glue set. Trim the bottom of the leaf

127 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

DESERT PROJECTS by cutting as indicated by the curved lines drawn Cup the whole inside of the bracts, following the
toward the bottom of the template. Repeat for all instructions on page 88.
remaining leaves, but only trim the bottom leaves of
A through C. b. Cut four template J pieces from the Gold/Orange
doublette. Curl the tips of the petals away from the
2. Building the succulent components gold side. Dot the bottom of the gold side with glue
a. Now youÕre going to set your first four leaves at and twist the bottom to close up the flower.
90-degree angles to each other, forming a kind of
square. The template A leaf will sit on the template B c. Following the instructions on page 92 for wrapping
leafÕs lap, at a 90-degree angle to template A. The B wire, wrap the top ¼ in/6 mm of the wire with the
leaf will sit on the C leafÕs lap, with C opposite B. The crepe. Dot a bract below the glue line and glue it onto
C leaf will sit in the D leafÕs lap, with D opposite A. the wire so the glue line falls at the line on the wire
When attaching the first three leaves, bend the base where the wrapping stops. Resume wrapping, starting
of the template forward toward the front of the leaf by wrapping over the glue line on the bract. Repeat
and dot the underside of the bent front edge with this process to add another bract. Repeat again as if
glue before attaching it to the next leaf. for a third bract, except this time, youÕll put one of
the flowers where the bract should be, positioning the
b. With the center complete, all subsequent leaves flowerÕs glue line where the bractÕs glue line would
will be attached in rings. be. Position a bract over the flower so the flower petals
just barely peek out. Glue and wrap for ½ in/12 mm
c. Using a bit more glue than usual, glue two D leaves and repeat. This time the bract should cover less of the
together, setting the bottom of one leaf on the ÒlapÓ flower. Repeat twice more, wrapping ½ in/12 mm far-
of another, so they overlap about 50 percent. Set the ther each time. This time, the bract should be lifted up
leaves so they form a 90-degree angle. (This angle to let most of the flower show. Use the tip of a wire to
will decrease with each subsequent row.) Repeat, help arrange the petals so they look natural under the
adding two additional leaves. Each new leaf is added lifted bract. Wrap down to the end of the stem. Curve
on the left and should overlap the preceding leaves in the top portion of wine to form a hook-like shape.
a given row. When youÕve gone all the way around a Decide how tall you want the flower spike, then bend
row, dot the bottom of the last leaf with glue and glue the wire at the point that would be the bottom. Snip
it to the top of the first leaf. the wire 2½ in/6 cm below the bend.

d. As you work outward, adding additional rows, 4. Assembling the succulent
overlap the bottoms of the leaves less, and place a. YouÕll attach the parts of the succulent together
the rounded upper edge of each petalÑI think of by gluing the bottoms of each row and stacking the
them as shouldersÑ­ closer together. For each row, tab sections. Try to position each row so the leaves
decrease both the overlap and the space between are somewhat staggered. Because these rows have
the leaf ÒshouldersÓ by about 10 percent. Use extra different numbers of leaves, you wonÕt be able to
glue when you build the rows so that if they make a do it perfectly, but try to avoid having a leaf directly
misshapen circle, you can adjust the leaf placement behind a leaf in front of it.
a bit. But donÕt feel like you need to make a perfect
circle for each row. Wonky rows will create a more b. The last two rows are easier to stagger, since you
realistic succulent. can just position the leaves in a given row in the
spaces between the leaves in an adjacent row. Before
e. Assemble all remaining rows in the same way. you glue on the very last row, use the packing tape
to secure the bottom section of the wire (the section
3. Making the flower spike below the bend) to the bottom of the second-to-last
a. Following the instructions on page 99 for working row. Then glue on the final row.
with spray paint, spray an 8 by 8 in/20 by 20 cm
square of the Ivory crepe with the Basil paint. From
this square, cut two or three stem strips. Stretch
out a section of the spray-painted crepe and use
template I to cut six bracts on the fold (see page 87).

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 128

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4b.
3c.

4a. PART I THE FLORA

129

DESERT PROJECTS Blue Torch Cactus

SUPPLIES SEE PAGE 32
Deep Olive/Olive Green doublette
This cactus is a lovely example of one of the extremely neat things
crepe (2 folds) you can do with crepe paper. You’ll bend and stretch the crepe to
Scissors sculpt the cactus into ribs that round at the top. A metallic fringe
will stand in for stamens.
Light-colored colored pencil
AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue It would be tragic to stop at blue for these—if you have the mate-
rials, I’d suggest making them in pink, blue, violet, white, and gold
Ruler for a lovely, whimsical effect.
Krylon Outdoor DŽcor satin paint
1. Making the cactus
in Rainwater a. Decide how tall you want the cactus, and cut the doublette crepe
Mask (optional) with the grain to a length that matches your desired height. Cut the
Tissue paper thatÕs a semi-metallic second fold to match. Using the colored pencil, draw a line 1 in/2.5 cm
gold on one or both sides from the long edge of one of the lengths of green crepe. Working 8 to
White/Vanilla doublette crepe 10 in/20 to 25 cm at a time, dot the area between the pencil line and
18-gauge cloth-covered stem wire the edge with glue. Line up the two long ends of the lengths of crepe,
Pineapple heavy crepe and overlap the long edge of the second length so that it meets the
pencil line on the first length. Press to help set the glue. Repeat until
Soft brush the two pieces are glued together, overlapped by 1 in/2.5 cm.
PanPastel in Permanent Red
b. With a ruler, draw a line parallel to the overlapping edge,
(340.3) 1 in/2.5 cm over. Repeat, drawing a line parallel to the line you just
PanPastel in Bright Yellow Green drew. Repeat until youÕre 1 in/2.5 cm from the other long edge of
the crepe paper. Draw a line on the other side of the overlapped
(680.3) edge, and repeat until youÕve reached 1 in/2.5 cm from the opposite
Floral tape long edge. Accordion fold the whole piece of crepe along these lines.
Juniper extra-fine crepe (optional)
2. Shaping the top of the cactus
Awl a. Lay out the accordion-folded crepe, with the lighter side up. At
Templates (page 227) one of the short ends, grasp two of the mountain folds together and
stretch them out along the fold. Stretch the top 3 in/7.5 cm of these
UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS two folds until their upper edge faces almost 90 degrees back from
where it was facing before you stretched it. Repeat for the rest of the
mountain folds along this short end.

3. Assembling the cactus
a. To prepare the body of the cactus, trim the excess ½ in/12 mm of
crepe paper on either side of the accordian-folded piece.

b. To close the cactus, start at the edge that ends in a half moun-
tain fold. Apply glue under the half mountain fold and under the full
mountain fold next to it for the entire length of the cactus. Form
the cactus into a cylinder by tucking the full mountain fold on the
opposite edge underneath the full mountain fold that is covered in
glue. Press the half mountain fold against the first half of the next
mountain fold. Allow to dry.

130

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2a.

1b.
4a.
4a.

3b. PART I THE FLORA

131

DESERT PROJECTS c. To join the upper ribs of the cactus, glue what was making sure that the wire tip extends 1 in/2.5 cm
the short edge of the crepe paper together in sections, beyond the tips of the fringes. Press the wire down
working one fold at a time. Dot glue at the very top into the glued area of the stamens and then loosely
edge of one side of a fold, and pinch the fold together roll the stamens around the wire.
with the next one to glue them closed. Repeat, gluing
together pairs of ribs with glue all the way around the d. Angle the top part of the wire downward so it
cactus. Next, dot what was the top edge of one pair seems to rest on the bottom section of the fringe.
of ribs with glue and attach it to the same spot on the Push the fringe out and away from the wire all the
fold on the opposite side of the circle. Dot glue along way around. Working in sections, flatten the fringe
the edge of one of the remaining pairs of ribs, and together in your hands and finger curl the fringe
glue it to the line where the first two sets of ribs meet. toward the center.
Repeat with the remaining set of ribs.
e. Cut ten petals on the fold (see page 87) from the
d. Stand the cactus up and spray it with the Rainwa- White doublette crepe, using template B. With scis-
ter spray paint. (ItÕs best to spray this outside; con- sors, curl the petal back, following the instructions
sider wearing a mask.) Let it dry, then add a second on page 88. Apply these petals evenly around the
coat. If needed, add a third and even a fourth coat. fringes, matching up the glue line on the templates
Lighter coats are better for the crepe paper than with the spot on the fringe thatÕs wrapped around
heavy ones. Allow to dry completely. the wire. The Vanilla side of these petals should face
the center.
4. Adding the spines
a. Cut a 2 by 6 in/5 by 15 cm strip of the gold tissue f. Cut ten petals from the White doublette crepe
paper. Fold it in half lengthwise, and snip a fringe all using template C. With the soft brush, dust a small
the way across the folded edge. The fringe should amount of the red pastel from the tips of the petals
reach three-quarters of the way from the fold out to to about halfway down the petal, lifting at the end
the edge of the tissue paper. Starting at the bottom of your stroke so the color fades evenly. Repeat with
of the cactus, apply a very thin line of glue to one the green pastel over the top of the red. Scissor curl
of the ribs, working in 6 in/15 cm increments. Open these petals even more dramatically than the B pet-
up the folded fringed tissue. Place it on the glue so als. Attach the C petals just as you did the B petals,
the crease running down the middle of all the fringes staggering the C petals between the B petals.
is directly on top of the glue. Repeat until youÕve
covered the whole rib. Once the glue is dry, pinch g. Wrap the bottom of the flower tightly with floral
the two halves of the strip of fringes forward to once tape, stretching as you wrap to activate the adhe-
again fold the fringes lengthwise but in the opposite sive. If you like the finish of the floral tape, feel free
direction. Trim the fringes to roughly ½ in/12 mm to leave it. Otherwise, cover it with some Juniper
long, cutting away the outer edge that was holding extra-fine crepe.
the fringes together. Repeat for the remaining ribs.
6. Attaching the flowers
5. Making the flowers a. Very carefully use the awl to poke a hole in the
a. Cut a 6 in/15 cm White doublette stem strip. spot where youÕd like to place the flower. Angle the
Wrap the top 1 in/2.5 cm of the stem wire three flower and fleshy stem so they meet the rest of the
times with the doublette. Cut a 6 in/15 cm strip of wire at about a 45-degree angle. Insert the wire into
the Pineapple crepe to wrap the wire, starting from the cactus and, just before you push it all the way
½ in/12 mm below the tip of the wire, overlapping in, dot a very small amount of glue around the base
the doublette and spiraling down the wire until you of the fleshy part of the stem. Hold it in place for a
run out of strip. moment to allow the glue to set. Repeat with your
preferred number of flowers.
b. Cut a template A piece from the Pineapple crepe.
Follow the instructions on page 92 for making b. The cactus will stand up on its own, but for extra
confetti-style stamens. security, you can use a cylinder-shaped container
weighted down with gravel, marbles, dried beans,
c. Once the stamens are dry, dot the area below the or the like. (An empty Pringles can would be great
glue line (as indicated on the template) with glue. for this.) Just slip the bottom of the cactus over the
Place the stem wire on one end of the stamen piece, container.

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 132

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5f.

5a., 5c.
5d.

133 PART I THE FLORA

1b.

1a.
3b.
4a.

2c.

Prickly Pear Cactus SUPPLIES DWEiStEcRh TGPaRrOdeJnE
C T S

SEE PAGE 35 Scissors
SEExEtraP-AthGiEckXfoXam sheet,
Between wrapping the cactus paddles in floral tape and covering ¼ in/6 mm thick
the cactus in little spines, this project is an exercise in patience. Tissue paper in any color
Fortunately, to make it easier to handle without damaging the
paper thorns, the cactus is one-sided, with the reverse side blank. AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue
(You’ll be glad when you’re finally adding spines to that last little
paddle!) Floral tape

1. Making the paddle base Moss extra-heavy crepe
a. Use template A to cut a paddle from the foam sheet. Cut two lay-
ers of tissue paper 4 in/10 cm wide and long enough to reach from Cosmetic wedge sponge
the paddle base on one side over the paddle and to the paddle base
on the other side. Gently twist it into a loose rope. The next step can Awl
get a little messy, so wear gloves if you donÕt want glue all over your
hands. Starting from one end of the rope and working 4 to 6 in/10 to Toothpicks
15 cm at a time, dot one side of the rope with glue. Starting at one
side of the base of the foam sheet paddle, glue the rope along the Needle-nose pliers
edge of the paddle until you reach the other side of the base. Trim
off the excess rope. Soft brush

b. Dot the first 2 in/5 cm of floral tape with glue. Attach the glued PanPastel in Permanent Green Tint
section to the middle of the paddle and begin to wrap around the (640.8)
paddle with the floral tape, stretching as you wrap to make a smooth
surface. Make sure that youÕre tightly wrapping the edges, which Foam or papier-m‰chŽ eggs in
should compress when you pull the floral tape taut. ItÕs fine if the assorted sizes, approximately
floral tape youÕve already wrapped lifts off the surface of the foam 1½ to 2 in/4 to 5 cm tall
as you work. When youÕve wrapped the whole surface, cut the tape Cyclamen heavy crepe
and dot the last 2 in/5 cm with glue. Wrap this last glued portion
onto the paddle. Press for a minute to set the glue. Azalea heavy crepe

2. Covering the paddles PanPastel in Permanent Red
a. Lay out the Moss crepe and cut a rectangle 3 in/7.5 cm taller than (340.5)
the paddle and 1 in/2.5 cm narrower than the paddle. Stretch out
most of the crinkles. Off-white cardstock

b. Using the wedge sponge, spread tacky glue over the entire Art-C Ultra Chalk Soft Matte Paint
surface of one side of the foam paddle. Stretch the Moss crepe over in Sand
the paddle, pulling it so tight that all the crinkles smooth out. Press
the crepe against the middle of the paddle and smooth it over the Floral foam
surface out toward the edges.
Fairly heavy planting pot
c. Trim the paper around the paddle. On the curved parts of the
paddle, cut a ¼ by ¼ in/6 by 6 mm fringe in the Moss crepe paddle Freeze-dried moss
cover. Sponge tacky glue onto the paddle and the lower edge of the
Moss crepe fringe. Smooth the fringed edge of the paddle cover over Dowel (optional)
the edge of the paddle. Repeat to cover the reverse side.
Templates (page 229)
d. Repeat for the remaining paddle, using the B template.

135 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

DESERT PROJECTS 3. Attaching the paddles especially nice to apply the color to different areas
a. YouÕll attach the second paddle to the upper of each pear.) Repeat, using a variety of egg sizes,
right side of the first paddle as shown. Make sure if possible, and then attach the pears the same way
to pick a spot where the bottom of the second you attached the paddles, using only one toothpick
paddle makes contact with a ¾ in/2 cm section this time.
of the first paddle.
6. Making the spines
b. Very carefully use the awl to poke a 1½ in/4 cm a. From the cardstock, cut long (as spines go), very
deep hole on either end of the section where the two skinny rectangles, ½ to 1 in/12 mm to 2.5 cm long.
paddles will make contact, making sure the holes are
¼ in/6 mm in from either edge. Poke two cor- b. To prepare the cactus, use the sand-colored
responding 1½ in/4 cm holes on the base of the matte paint to apply spine cushions. Dot the pad-
smaller paddle where it will make contact with dle with small beads of the matte paint. The dots
the larger paddle. Dot one half of a toothpick with donÕt have to be in a perfect pattern, but I shoot
glue and insert it into one of the large paddle holes for a general hexagon pattern. In other words, if
so half of the toothpick sticks out. Repeat for the you can imagine a hexagon pattern with a spine at
next hole on the bigger paddle. Then dot the two every point and one right in the middle, that should
exposed toothpicks with glue, and, using the needle- give you a sense of the way theyÕre distributed.
nose pliers to grip the toothpicks, push them into the ItÕs also completely fine to just do rows that are
smaller paddle. When the space between the two staggered by 50 percent. I like to space the spines
paddles is too small to use the pliers, use your hands 1 in/2.5 cm apart, but adjust to your liking. As you
to gently push the two paddles together. move on to the smaller paddle, use the same pat-
tern but place them a little closer together.
c. Use this same method to insert two toothpicks
halfway into either side of the base of the cactus. c. Once the spine cushions are dry, dot one with a
small bead of tacky glue and stick two spines so they
4. Adding color to the cactus stand up in the glue drop. Repeat, covering one side
a. Use the soft brush to apply the Green pastel over and the edges with spines. (DonÕt try to do this in
the surface of the paddles. Apply more to the middle one continuous sessionÑyouÕll want to take breaks!)
of the paddles, allowing more Moss color to show
through at the edges. 7. Styling
a. To display the cactus, choose a foam shape thatÕs
5. Making the pears big enough to wedge firmly into the pot and sit
a. Press the large end of a foam egg onto a hard, flat about 1 in/2.5 cm below the rim.
surface so it flattens out, but stays rounded around
the edges of the flattened section. b. Stick the cactus toothpicks into the foam at the
center of the pot. Cover the area around the cactus
b. Lay out the Cyclamen crepe and cut a rectangle with the freeze-dried moss to hide the foam. If your
4 in/10 cm wide and 1 in/2.5 cm taller than the egg. cactus needs additional support, insert a dowel into
Place the egg in the middle of the crepe, parallel to the floral foam so that half of it sticks up out of the
the grain. Following the instructions on page 89, foam in the pot. Tape the dowel to the back of the
stretch the paper around the egg and glue it closed. lower paddle. Leave it like this, or cover the taped
Cut a 4 in/10 cm square from the Azalea crepe and dowel by gluing a strip of Moss crepe over it.
stretch it almost all the way out. Cut some rough
circles from the Azalea crepe that are just big
enough to cover the flattened section and glue them
in place. With your thumb, press all along the inside
of this circle to crush the foam underneath and make
the pear cap seem indented. If the foam wonÕt
budge, donÕt worry about it!

c. Use the soft brush to apply the Red pastel to
the lower half or to one side of the pear. (It looks

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 136

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5b.

5c.

6c.

137 PART I THE FLORA

DESERT PROJECTS Night-Blooming Cereus

SUPPLIES SEE PAGE 36

Scissors Given how rarely we get the opportunity to see a live cereus bloom,
Pineapple heavy crepe I’m excited to share this ever-blooming version. I hope someday to
18-gauge cloth-covered stem wire design a paper nectar bat so my cereus will have a pollinator!
AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue
1. Making the flower's center
Eggnog heavy crepe a. Using template A, cut a fringe piece from the Pineapple crepe, and
White cardstock fringe across the top of the template. Dot glue on the fringe piece
below where the glue line on the template inidcates, and wrap the
Cosmetic wedge sponge fringe piece around the tip of a full stem wire. (The tip of the wire
Floral tape of any color should not be visible.) Cut a stem strip from the Eggnog heavy crepe
and wrap it around 5 in/12 cm of wire. Press each little fringe down
White/Vanilla doublette crepe so it forms a 90-degree angle with the wire. When youÕve gone all
Design Master Tint IT spray paint the way around, the fringes should radiate like a star from the wire.

in Sepia (538) b. Cut a template B shape from the cardstock. Using template C, cut
Raspberry extra-fine crepe two stamen pieces from the Eggnog heavy crepe. Use the wedge
sponge to smear glue on the cardstock piece, and place it on top of
Deep Olive/Olive Green one stamen piece so the two bottom edges align and the cardstock
doublette crepe piece is centered along this edge. Smear the front of the cardstock
piece and the second stamen piece with glue, and lay the second
ElmerÕs Multi-Purpose stamen piece on top. Apply gentle pressure to help the glue set.
Spray Adhesive
c. Fringe up to the glue line/cardstock edge. Dot glue on the inner
Templates (page 230) edge of one side of the stamens below the glue line/cardstock edge.
Glue it to the opposite edge, closing up the funnel. Following the
instructions on page 92 for confetti stamens, add Pineapple crepe
pollen to the Eggnog stamens.

d. When the glue is completely dry, gather two-thirds of the stamens
to one side of the center. Finger curl them all up and toward the
center. Thread the stem wire through the funnel until the tip extends
1 in/2.5 cm beyond the stamens. Use the floral tape to secure the
funnel to the wire.

2. Adding petals
a. From the White/Vanilla doublette, cut eight template D petals
on the fold (see page 87). Following the instructions on page 88,
gently cup the whole inside of each petal just a bit, leaving the edges
unstretched. Dot glue on the White side of a petal below where the
glue line on the template indicates, and line the petal up with the
glue line on the stamens. Add three more so the four petals are dis-
tributed evenly around the center like compass points. The next four
petals go in the spaces between the first four.

b. Repeat this process, adding eight petals from template E and then
eight from template F.

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 138

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1b., 1c. SEE PAGE XX
1d.
1a.

2a. 2b.

139 PART I THE FLORA

DESERT PROJECTS c. To prepare the White/Vanilla doublette for your
last two rows, spray paint across the top and bottom
of an 18 in/45.5 cm length of the doublette. The last
two rows of petals use a total of sixteen template G
petals from the spray-painted crepe.

d. Repeat to make a second flower.

3. Wrapping the stem
a. Following the instructions on page 92, cut the
stem strips from the Raspberry crepe, and wrap the
stem from the back of the flower down to the bot-
tom of the stem.

4. Making the leaves
a. Cereus flowers grow out of the sides of long
leaves. These leaves have a thick vein running down
the middle that curves off to one side and becomes
the stem of a flower. Leaving 3 in/7.5 cm of the
upper part of the stem to grow out of the side of
the leaf, bend the wire so that it curves gently to
one side as pictured. Cut two template H leaf pieces,
one with the Deep Olive facing up and one with the
Olive Green facing up. Place one H leaf piece, Deep
OliveÐside up and use the wedge sponge to apply
a thin coat of spray adhesive all over the leaf. Place
the bent wire down the middle of the leaf so that
the flower stem exits the leaf 1 to 2 in/1.5 to 5 cm
from the tip of the leaf. Press the second H leaf piece
onto the first leaf piece, creating a sandwich with a
wire inside. Repeat for the second flower, using the
second leaf template.

b. When the two stems are finished, wrap them
together with the Raspberry stem strips from
1 in/2.5 cm below each leaf to the bottom. Bend
the overall stem into an arch. Bend the short flower
stems at a rounded 45-degree angle, so it faces up.

UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS 140

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SEE PAGE XX

4b.

2c.

141 PART I THE FLORA

2b.
1a., 1b.

2c.
2a

Agave DWEiStEcRh TGPaRrOdeJnE
C T S

SEE PAGE 39 SEE PAGE XX

My favorite part of this project (and of agaves in general) is the SUPPLIES
spiny pattern indented on the surface of each leaf. There is almost Scissors
certainly some complex and mysterious geometry that dictates the Canson Mi-Teintes Light Green
placement of these lines. Since I haven’t decoded it yet, I prefer to paper (#480)
place the lines somewhat at random. If you crack the code, let me Copic marker in Peony (RV69)
know! Otherwise, I recommend faking it when you show off your Cosmetic wedge sponge
agave—if anyone catches you out, make sure they send me their PanPastel in Violet Tint (470.8)
secret formula. ½ in/12 mm dowel
Hot glue gun
1. Building the center Embossing tools, ¼ in/6 mm
a. Use template A to cut an inner cone piece from the Green paper. and ⅟₁₆ in/2 mm
Color the curved edge of the piece and the fronts of the ÒthornsÓ Extra-thick foam sheet,
with the Peony marker. Use the wedge sponge to swipe Violet pastel ¼ in/6 mm thick
onto one side of the paper. With the A piece parallel to the dowel, AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue
bend the paper around the dowel and roll it down the paper, which Templates (pages 231Ð33)
will make it easier to roll up smoothly.

b. Roll the piece up into a cone (with the color on the outside). Start
by rolling the upper, curvy edge sideways and downward at the same
time, then bring the rest of the curvy edge down and around. When
the top of the cone has rolled into a point and the curvy edge has
completely covered the straight edge, dot under the curvy edge with
hot glue, and glue the cone shut. Use scissors to round off the very
tip of the cone.

2. Preparing the leaves
a. Use template B to cut 15 leaves from the Green paper. Color
the edges just as you did for the cone, except that youÕll do both
sides. Follow the instructions on page 95 for embossing a pattern.
Place the paper on the foam sheet and use the smaller embossing
tool to make spiny leaf edge lines across the leaves. These lines can
originate on either side of the leaf and run to the opposite edge.
You might also add lines that begin at a point on the first line and
continue upward at an angle. Or you can follow the suggested lines
on template B. Once youÕve embossed the pattern with the small
tool, you can use the larger tool to emboss alongside one side of
the embossed lines, which will help make the indentation feel more
three-dimensional.

b. Just as you did for the cone piece, sweep Violet pastel over each
side of the leaf. Use the dowel to curl the upper edges of each leaf
somewhat downward and toward the center (see instructions for
curling, page 88). Bend the sides of the leaf toward the center so
the leaf is rounded.

143 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

3a.
4a., 4b.

c. At the bottom of template B is a slit line and two DWEiStEcRh TGPaRrOdeJnE
C T S
lines that run from the slit in a diagonal line toward
the lower right. Cut a corresponding slit in the leaves. SEE PAGE XX
Dot tacky glue on the right tab, between the slit
and the diagonal line. Using the template as a visual
guide, bring the left-hand tab over the right, lining
up the slit side of the left tab with the uppermost
diagonal line on the right. Repeat to prep four addi-
tional leaves for row 1.

d. Repeat to prepare leaves for row 2, which will
have five leaves. For this row, glue the left tab over
the right, lining up the slit side of the tab with the
second diagonal line from the top. For row 3, use
template C to prepare five leaves.

3. Building the rings
a. To build the first ring, dot a heavier than normal
amount of glue on one of the B leaves at the under-
side of the leaf, where the tabs overlap. Place this
glued section on top of the same section on another
B leaf, positioning the leaves at a seventy-degree
angle to each other. (No need to get the leaf spacing
exactly right: the extra glue will allow for some
adjustment once the ring is complete.) Repeat to
add the remaining three leaves. Adjust if necessary.

b. Repeat to make two more ringÕs of template B
leaves, and one ring of template C leaves.

4. Assembling the agave
a. Glue the rings of leaves to each other. As much
as possible, try to keep the leaves in one row offset
from the leaves in the rows on either side (in other
words, itÕs better not to have a leaf directly in front
of or behind another leaf, although a little bit of that
is fine). Before you add the last row, use the dowel to
curl it backward as shown. These are the older leaves
of the agave that have started to droop back toward
the ground.

b. Trim the base of the cone so itÕs completely flat.
Dot the bottom edge with tacky glue and place it in
the center of the stack of rings. Hold in place for ten
seconds and then leave to dry. If the tacky glue isnÕt
sticking, use the hot glue gun.

145 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

DESERT PROJECTS SUPPLIES Star Cactus
Drawing compass
5.8 in/14.8 cm Styrofoam ball SEE PAGE 40
Floral foam knife
I’ve taken a lot of liberties with this design, making the paper
Scissors version larger and rounder than it is in nature, to make this a more
Two 12 by 8 in/30.5 by 20 cm accessible project. I hope that knowing it isn’t a perfect replica will
foam sheets, ⅟₁₆ in/2 mm thick help you feel at perfect liberty to add your own variations. I’d love
to see a collection of these in other colors of crepe and spangled
Fern/Moss doublette crepe with more dramatically colored pom-poms.
Cosmetic wedge sponge
1. Preparing the ball
AleeneÕs Original Tacky Glue a. Insert the compass point into one end of the ball to draw a circle
Sewing pins with a radius of 1¾ in/4.5 cm all the way around one end of the ball.
With the floral foam knife, very carefully slice off the section inside
Hampton Art Chalk Marker the circle. Precision isnÕt that importantÑyou just want the bottom
(fine point) of the ball to be flat.

½ in/12 mm white pom-poms b. Use template A to cut eight segments from the foam sheet. Cut
Small disposable container 3¼ in/8.5 cm lengths of the Fern/Moss doublette crepe parallel to
the fold. Using the wedge sponge, spread a thin layer of tacky glue
99-percent isopropyl alcohol onto one side of a foam sheet segment. Place it in the middle of
Ranger alcohol ink in Ginger oneÊof the doublette rectangles and press it down onto the paper.
Copic marker in Cadmium Yellow
c. Cut the crepe around the segment, leaving a ¼ in/6 mm margin
(Y15) allÊthe way around.
9 millinery lily stamens
Pineapple heavy crepe d. Dot tacky glue over the margin, working 3 in/7.5 cm at a time.
18-gauge cloth-covered stem wire Fold the crepe over the foam sheet, adjusting it as you work for a
smooth edge. Allow to dry.
Lemon fine crepe
Chiffon extra-fine crepe e. Repeat for the remaining segments.
Design Master Tint IT spray paint
2. Building the cactus
in Pinkalicious (530) a. Now youÕre going to glue the segments together to start building
Eye protection the cactus. The trick here is to avoid gaps in the segments while also
Wire snips not turning the outside into a gluey mess.

Juniper extra-fine crepe b. Pin the point of one end of a segment to the top of the ball, oppo-
Awl site the middle of the base, and pin the other end to the bottom at
the edge of the flattened base, using one pin on each side of the bot-
Templates (page 228) tom of the segment. Cut off the lower end of the segment, even with
the edge of the base. Squirt a line of glue up and down the strip, just
UNCOMMON PAPER FLOWERS underneath the edge of the first segment. Place the second segment
right next to the first and on top of the joining segment, and pin it in
place. Press down 2 in/5 cm at a time to help the glue set.

c. Repeat to add the remaining segments. DonÕt worry if some seg-
ments are a little gapped or gluey. Whichever section is best can be the
front of the cactus. Dot the whole cactus with chalk marker as shown.

d. After an hour, remove all the pins.

146

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SEE PAGE XX

1a. 2b.

1d.

147 2d. THE FLORA

PART I

3c.
4a.

4e.
4d.

3. Adding the pom-poms Pineapple fringes. Add another petal, slightly over- DWEiStEcRh TGPaRrOdeJnE
C T S
a. Now youÕre going to add a row of pom-poms lapping it with the previous one. Repeat until youÕve
down the middle of each segment. You can make a made it all the way around the first row. Apply a
solid line or space them farther apart. The main thing second row, staggering the petals so each petal in
is to try to space them evenly. However many pom- the second row shows in the space between two
poms you decide to use per segment, multiply it by petals in row 1.
eight, so youÕll have enough for the whole cactus.
e. Using eye protection and wire snips, clip the stem
b. Fill the small disposable container (a clean to 3½ in/9 cm long. Finish the flower by following
single-serving yogurt cup would be perfect) with the instructions on page 92 to wrap the stem in
1 Tbsp isopropyl alcohol and 30 drops of the Ginger Juniper crepeS. (ETEhePbAaGckE oXf Xthe flower is intentionally
ink. Stir thoroughly. Submerge the pom-poms in the chunky so it looks like a thick cactus stem.)
ink and let them fully saturate with dye. Allow to
dry completely. f. Use the awl to pierce a hole ½ in/12 mm from the
center of the top of the cactus. Insert the flower
c. Carefully snip off about 40 percent of the pom- stem into the hole and push it in to the point where
pom, creating a flat side to attach to the cactus. Glue the thick stem meets the cactus.
on the pom-poms, holding each one in place for ten
seconds so it adheres. g. Repeat, adding two more flowers, distributed in a
triangle pattern at the top of the cactus.
4. Making the flowers
a. Use the yellow marker to color three of the lily sta-
mens. Bundle the stamens together with the tips even.
Apply a tiny amount of glue ¾ in/2 cm from the tips
of the lily stamens, and pinch them all together. Use a
2 in/5 cm stem strip from the Pineapple crepe to wrap
the stamens to the tip of the wire stem (for wrapping
instructions, see page 92), so the lily stamens stick
out 1⅜ in/3.5 cm beyond the tip of the wire. Use tem-
plate B to cut a fringe piece from the Pineapple crepe.
Twist the fringes and then follow the instructions on
page 92 for making confetti stamens with pollen from
the Lemon fine crepe.

b. When the fringe is dry, dot it with glue below the
glue line indicated on the template and, starting at the
wider end, wrap it around the tip of the wire so the
top of the fringe falls just below the bottom of the
head of the lily stamen.

c. Cut an 18 by 20 in/46 by 51 cm rectangle of Chiffon
crepe. Following the instructions on page 99, use
the Pinkalicious spray paint to create lightweight
horizontal stripes 5 in/12 cm apart on the rectangle.
Cut across the top of each stripe to create strips to
accordion fold for petals. Follow the instructions on
page 87 to cut forty petals on the fold from the strips
(using template C).

d. Apply glue to a petal below the glue line indicated
on the template. Attach it to the center so the glue
line on the petal lines up with the glue line on the

149 PART III MTAHKEI NF GL OTRHAE F L O W E R S

1b.

2b.
1a.

1d.